Introduction
Leibniz (July 1, 1646 - November 14, 1716) was remembered as one of the best mathematicians in history and was also a notable philosopher.He wrote in mainly Latin and French. Leibniz was a rationalist-concerned with reason. His interests were metaphysics, mathematics, and theodicy. In philosophy, he is mainly remembered for optimism. Leibniz made contributions to analysis and logic. He wrote on law, politics, ethics, history, theology, and philology. His notable ideas include calculus, monadology, theodicy, and optimism.
Biography
Gottfried Leibniz was a German mathematician born in Leipzig Germany on July 1, 1646. His dad died when he was only six years old. He was raised by his mother. When he was twelve, he taught himself advanced Latin and also some Greek. At school he wasn't satisfied with Aristotle's system of logic and theory of categorizing knowledge. Leibniz developed his own ideas to improve it. He entered the University of Leipzig at 14 years old. Through his life he found that he wanted to study math and improve it. He wrote works also for what he believed in. Leibniz spent a lot of his life in Hanover. He discovered many things and wrote many books and was a very good worker and thinker up to his death.
Philosophy
Gottfried Leibniz had a philosophy similar to Descartes. He was a rationalist so he thought that everything was based on reason. Since he was a rationalist, he was very into the study of mathematics. Leinbiz wanted to improve logic in mathematics. He believed that symbols were important for human unerstanding. Leibniz and Newton came up with calculus independently. Leibniz also came up with an early calculating machine and the binary system.
He studied metaphysics and believed that monads are dimensionless points which contain all of their properties-past, present, and future- and the entire world. Also, he believed that monads were ultimate elements of the universe. He said that monads are centers of force while space, matter, and motion are merely phenomonal. Leibniz also believed that God was a monad. Leibniz and Spinoza can both be called Monists.
He was one of the most important 18th century rationalists. He was also a supporter of optimism. He thought that all truth is analytic. Leibniz also served as a librarian. While doing that, he became one of the founders of library science. Unlike Descartes and Spinoza Leibniz had a good university education on philosophy. Leibniz's philosophy ideas often were similar to Aristotle. Unlike Berkeley, Leibniz thought that everything that we see is real.
Gottfried Leibniz was influenced by many great philosophers such as Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas, Descartes, and even Spinoza. He later influenced many later mathematicians including Christian Wolff, Bertrand Russell, Kant, and Martin Heidegger. Leibniz was a supporter of Christianity also. One of his projects in philosophy was to reconcile Christianity with rationalism. Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz will be remembered as one of the most important rationalists and mathematicians in the history of western philosophy. Quotes
"It is rare to find men who are clean, do not stink, and have a sense of humour."
"Nothing is more important than to see the sources of invention which are in my opinion more interesting then the inventions themselves."
"The soul is the mirror of an indestructible universe."
"Why is there something, rather than nothing?"
"Miracles are not to be multiplied beyond necessity."
"God is the final reason of salvation, of grace, of faith and of election in Jesus Christ."
"With every lost hour, a part of life perishes."
Major Works Discourse on Metaphysics
New Essays Concerning the Human Understanding
The Theodicy
The Monadology
Bibliography
- Collinson, Diane. Fifty Major Philosophers New York: Routledge, 1988
- Gardner, Jostein. Sophie's World. New York: Penguin Group, 1990
By Wade B.
Introduction
Leibniz (July 1, 1646 - November 14, 1716) was remembered as one of the best mathematicians in history and was also a notable philosopher.He wrote in mainly Latin and French. Leibniz was a rationalist-concerned with reason. His interests were metaphysics, mathematics, and theodicy. In philosophy, he is mainly remembered for optimism. Leibniz made contributions to analysis and logic. He wrote on law, politics, ethics, history, theology, and philology. His notable ideas include calculus, monadology, theodicy, and optimism.
Biography
Gottfried Leibniz was a German mathematician born in Leipzig Germany on July 1, 1646. His dad died when he was only six years old. He was raised by his mother. When he was twelve, he taught himself advanced Latin and also some Greek. At school he wasn't satisfied with Aristotle's system of logic and theory of categorizing knowledge. Leibniz developed his own ideas to improve it. He entered the University of Leipzig at 14 years old. Through his life he found that he wanted to study math and improve it. He wrote works also for what he believed in. Leibniz spent a lot of his life in Hanover. He discovered many things and wrote many books and was a very good worker and thinker up to his death.
Philosophy
Gottfried Leibniz had a philosophy similar to Descartes. He was a rationalist so he thought that everything was based on reason. Since he was a rationalist, he was very into the study of mathematics. Leinbiz wanted to improve logic in mathematics. He believed that symbols were important for human unerstanding. Leibniz and Newton came up with calculus independently. Leibniz also came up with an early calculating machine and the binary system.
He studied metaphysics and believed that monads are dimensionless points which contain all of their properties-past, present, and future- and the entire world. Also, he believed that monads were ultimate elements of the universe. He said that monads are centers of force while space, matter, and motion are merely phenomonal. Leibniz also believed that God was a monad. Leibniz and Spinoza can both be called Monists.
He was one of the most important 18th century rationalists. He was also a supporter of optimism. He thought that all truth is analytic. Leibniz also served as a librarian. While doing that, he became one of the founders of library science. Unlike Descartes and Spinoza Leibniz had a good university education on philosophy. Leibniz's philosophy ideas often were similar to Aristotle. Unlike Berkeley, Leibniz thought that everything that we see is real.
Gottfried Leibniz was influenced by many great philosophers such as Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas, Descartes, and even Spinoza. He later influenced many later mathematicians including Christian Wolff, Bertrand Russell, Kant, and Martin Heidegger. Leibniz was a supporter of Christianity also. One of his projects in philosophy was to reconcile Christianity with rationalism. Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz will be remembered as one of the most important rationalists and mathematicians in the history of western philosophy.
Quotes
"It is rare to find men who are clean, do not stink, and have a sense of humour."
"Nothing is more important than to see the sources of invention which are in my opinion more interesting then the inventions themselves."
"The soul is the mirror of an indestructible universe."
"Why is there something, rather than nothing?"
"Miracles are not to be multiplied beyond necessity."
"God is the final reason of salvation, of grace, of faith and of election in Jesus Christ."
"With every lost hour, a part of life perishes."
Major Works
Discourse on Metaphysics
New Essays Concerning the Human Understanding
The Theodicy
The Monadology
Bibliography
- Collinson, Diane. Fifty Major Philosophers New York: Routledge, 1988
- Gardner, Jostein. Sophie's World. New York: Penguin Group, 1990
- "Gottfried Leibniz." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 9 Apr 2008, 15:16 UTC. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.
9 Apr 2008 <http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gottfried_Leibniz&oldid=204466217>.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gottfried_leibniz
- Kemerling, Garth. "Leibniz." Philosophy Pages. 1996. 9 Apr. 2008 <http://www.philosophypages.com/ph/leib.htm>.
http://www.philosophypages.com/ph/leib.htm
- Ross, Kelley. "Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz." Friesian.Com. 1999. 10 Apr. 2008 <http://www.friesian.com/leibniz.htm>.